Commander Task Group 7.2, JTF-7, Final Report: Operation Redwing 31 July 1956

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CW NDER TASK GROW 7.2 JOINT TASE FORCE SEVEN Approved for pdlie lrlrul

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Joint Task Force SEVEN SECTION IV - SECURITY SECTION M - INFO m TION AND EDUCATION SECTION X I - MILITARY POLICE ACTIVITIES SECTION XIV - CONCLUSIONS

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JOINT TASK FORCE SEVZN AW 167, San Francisco, Calif. 1. Garrison Phase Prior t o Build-up; (June 195b t o June 1955): Upon termination of Operation CASTLE, tke Commander Joint Task Force SEVEN published Operation Order 2 4 , dated 7 May 1954, t o govern an interim period from the conclusion of CASTU operat ions to glanned Atomic Enera Commission tests scheduled for the spring of 1956, known as Operation AXMIIiG. This order assigned a. Upon departure of CJW SEX4 from t h e forward area, discharge the responsibilities of CJW StSVSa as Atoll Commander, b. Exercise direction of all JTF SEVXN military forces based atENL ~ IETO KA toll for movement control, logistic support, general security and other duties of ATGOM. C. &establish the forward area garrison force and p m - vide base facilities (except PUL and firefighting facilities)for tenant units and ril it ary personnel therein, with prorated share of Kps provided by each unit. for barracks assigned tothe respective organizations and Kill assist E 7.2 i n such functions as periodic off-loading of cargo vessels and area clfan-up details in areas used jointly by all Units will provide barracks orderlies

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d. Provide for the security and ground defense of ZlKW3”OK Atoll within capability cf forces assigned. e. Proiide and operate the military communications f . Provide all Xadsafe functions for EIOM5TOK Island. The planning phase for Operation ddD!dIKi was initiated upon receipt of CJTF SE$dJ Planning Directive 30. 1-55, date6 10 This directive assigned CTG 7.2 the follo-ding missions: Continue t o discharge the responsibilities of CJTF PAC G%OP 11-53, as amended. b. Provide and operate the overall military communications system for handling long-haul traffic (exclusive of air opertions, weather and internal naval communications). C. Continue to operate all base facilities at ENIWETOK Island, except tnose specifically allocated to CTC 7.4 and C E 7.5 i n accordance with existing agreements. d. Provide in coord bati on with CTG 7.5 for security of exclusion areas, and security at ports of entry a tdl S4LTOK W?D e. Continue t o screen messages f o r A’TCilM during the opa - at ional period, for warm & only those messages posing vital prob-

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g. be prepared, in coordination w i t h CTG 7.5 and on order of CJ'l'r' SLWN, t o conduct emergency post-shot evacuation of a l l personnel based on EIJIWETOK Island. 3. Operational Phase; (15 A p r i l 1956 to 23 July 1956): The operational phase of iLElj!.JING commenced on 15 March 1956, culminating months of preparation and was implemented in accordance with CJTF SEVU? Operation Order No. 1-56, dated 20 Janwere as follows: Missions promulgated by this publication for CTG 7.2 cordance with CIlJCPAC GdJP 11-53, as amended, with& the capability of available forces. b. Provide cormmicatione and cryptographic facilities for all eiements of the task force on EICKEMK Island, for HQ JTF SEVhIId on PAm Island, t o major ships i n the Pacific Proving C. Continue t o operate comic ation facilities on JAP- 'PA14 Island ard all base facilities at EIKGTOK Island, except those d. Provide, in coordination with CTG 7.5, for security of exclusion areas and security a t ports of entry at EIm TOK and e. Continue t o screen messages f o r ATCOH during the ope rational period, fomarding only those messages concerning unusual

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Be prepared t o conduct emergency evacuation of all personnel based on ZNIWETOK and JAF’TAI? Islands. n. Provide logistical support for 8600 AU A m Security Det . i. Perform a l l ground monitoring servjces associatod .. with hIim”0K and JAPTAN Islands except i n those areas orac5vi ties assigned t o other task groups. uary 1956, announced the following general policies to govern disposition of military material on hand i n the fo mard area upon conclusion of Operation i-&DKCI?G: T@E equipment t o accompaqf units upon redeployment. Motor ve‘nicles, trailers, and materials handling equipment requiring overhaul i n the twelve months following Operation rXLldIIiG will be shipped from the forward area. C. Serviceable material f o r which there is no known requirements (excess material) and critical material for which long term tropical storage cmot be provided, will be disposed of per existing instructions of the owning department. d. Unserviceable material which cannot be repaired i n ties of the owning department. forward area will be shipped t o the appropriate repair fac ili - e. To the extent practicable, a l l other material which

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is required for garrison use o r f o r future operations would be retained i n the forward area. but which is not required for garrison use, will be processed f o r Material retained in the forward area,- ~ f . Property held on memorandum receipt from forward area accountaule officers to be thoroughly cleaned and renovated by the e. Task Force owned property would be st c red or disposed of per SOP 65-2, 15 March 1955, HQ JTF SEVLi. h. I n addition, the task group was directed by above cited reference t o prepare and submit to CJTF SEvr;lJ a material rollup plan based upon: Experience gained during forward area operation. The feasibility of assembly line techniques i n processing of material for storage; accomplishing mzjor portion of material proc,ssing prior to redeployment of the using pds on nel and unitg;and providing f o r tnorough supsrvision and inspection of material t o insure proper processing prior to shipmentor storage. 5. destablishment of InterLr Activities; (24 July 1956 u n t i l build-up period i s established for Operation HAHDTACK) : Atthe conclusion of O p ~ atio ndElYJCING the Commander, J o i n t Task Force SfiSJfiN published Operation Order 2-56 (Interim Phase Operation Order) out lin in ~t h e following missions for the Comnander, Task Group 7.2: land, discharge the responsibilities as ATCOM i n accordance with

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CENCPAC General Emergency OperatiQnPlan No. 11-56, dated 18 April b. Provide and operate the military communications system, to include the provision of long range radio senrice to the c. Provide all Radsafe functions f o r ENnJETOK Island. d. Be responsible for port operations ad. related adi -

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1. Garrison Phase Prior to Build-Up:- The task group com?osition and org wiz ation remained unchanged from conclusion of the CASTLE Operation until 30 June 1955 when t h e army element of t h e Joint Tesk Force w2s reorganized by CJTF SEE!! Geni.ra1 Orders No. 8, dated 29 June 1955, i n t o units suitable for the accomplishment ol“ missions of both the interim to interim operations immediately following CASTLE, 2nd remained z2tion of the army element (7126 AU) established t h e following Task Group 7.2 operetionel units: Psrsonnel requirements were adjusted Following Operation CASTLE, a d upon departure of the Joint Tesk Force comander from the Atomic Energy Commission’s Pacific Proving Ground, the Commander, Task Group 7.2 disch x ged interim missions essigned tkcq element, and functioned es Atoll Comnandsr, ENT’~.%TOI(, exercising control of all JTF sp on sibi li ties were set forth in CJTF SEVETJ Operation Order 2-sk The 2 r q y element remzincd the only op-

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control of CJTF SEVEN during the interim pariod, and as such was the chief coordinetor and egent fur CJTF SEWJ i n the forward area. During the interim neriod the Navy Boat Pool Detachment remained a u n i t of JTF SEVEN under control of the f.toll Commander (CTG 7.2). Upon in activation of TG 7.11, following C?..STLE operations, the air assigned f o r operational control t o the fiir Force Special Weapons Commznd (LFSWC)at Kirtland Air Force Base. This compliczted, t o some extent, the coordination of PPG activities ; however the majori t y of problems involving 1.TCOI.I and the 11930th SG (T) es pertained feme plans, were resolved by local agreement. Task Group 7.2 retained the same org aiz ation during the build-up period f o r operation RFDwIh" as established by CJTF SEVFJJ Kxch 1956 by the attachment of company "C", 505th Milit vy Police Bat tdi on, consisting of 8officers and 252 Enlisted men. primary mission of this unit was to in sur3intmx.l security of the PPG and t c guard c : rtain esteblished exclusion areas. On 2 1 Jmarea and wa.s attached t o TG 7.2 for sdministrativa and logistical The ?r[y elemant was mgmented in Feb r uv yad Opr ration d control of this mit was vested i n CJTF SE'rEN. activation of other t e s k group elements of the Task Force, and the movement of their advance echelons t o the PPG. Harmonious r clc tio m

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reached inall areas requiring cooFdination: During the operational phase, TG 7.2 functioned under the or,-emizationel structure in effect during the build-up period. This or px ize tion functioned efficiently 2nd effectively thrcwhout the opcrztion. I,s military police requirements uerir reduced, perm mat duty str tion in the ZI. Ncvy Boat Pool Detachment raverted t o operotional control of C E 7.3. ELew kdmiral E. Hall Hullon, USN, Commnndcr, J o i n t Task Force STIE'EN, a-rived in the Pacific Proving Ground on 20 hpril 1956 inthe forwerd aree. Lt this time the Joint Task Force bccame opsrational orgvlization o r the estcblishmc-nt of provisionel units t o eccomplish tho mission. up 2nd op z r rt ions l phzses continucd during the roll-up pariod. Ths o r ~ en ize tion a ls tru c ture during build5 . Reestcblishmsnt of Gx r is on Forces: On 23 July 1956, the TEsk Force Headquarters closed olvt .'.t this time, the Comxand.r, T a s k Group 7.2, assumed xditianal Inter in rrLssions outlined i n CJTF SEVEN

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Operntion Order 2-56, dated 20 July 1956, were implmnentod upon conchsion of Operation REDWING. -

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The S1 vas responsible for planning, coordinating, and supervising the administrative and personnel activities of the task Officer, Postal Officer, Special Services Officer, Chaplains, and t h e American Red Cross Representative. tothe S1 on law and order matters and the S1 acted in the cap city of a staff judge advocate inthe administration of military justice. He exercised staff supervision over the Adjutant, Personnel The Provost Earsha1 reported.. From July 1955 to April 1956 the Adjutant Section placed special emphasis on the publication of new and revised directives for the administrative and operational control of the task group, Stocks of publioations and blank forms were increased. administration program was reviewed, old files were removed, t h e files of all sections were placed on disposition schedules, and a Records Holding Area was established. within the Adjutant Section were reviewed and revised t o insure maxAfter April 1956, this section performed norms1 No special problems were encountered. During this same period t h e Personnel Section placed specia l effort upon the procurement and proper assignment of personnel authorized by the operational Table of Distribution which became t ional strength by 1 November. A goal was established t o reach full operaBeginning i n September 1955, plans were mde by APO 187 for hmdling the considerable increase inmil anticipated i n the PPG

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during the operation. Internal facilities of dpo 187 for sorting m oil were increased and efforts were made-to have additiondl APO facilities constructed on PARRY Islmd, ENIWETOK Atoll and ENNYU Island, BIKINI Atoll. Aw 187, located on ENIWETOK Island, served all units in the Pacific Proving Ground, including AEC and Holmes and Narver civilian contractors from the beginning of the period of this report until April 1956. Establishment of three additional APOs i n April facilitated SWv i c e and lightened the load of APO 187. land, was manned by Task Group 7.5 personnel but d i d not provi.de finanand financial senrice toall personnel in the BJKINI Area. establlshed on PARRY Island to provide m a i l and financial service for Headquarters, Joint Task Force SEVEN, Task Group 7.1, and Task Group 7.5 personnel. Aw 187 operated similar toa base post office for these add it ional AWE i n that all incoming mail was received by Aw 187 and rerouted t o the other ms. system i s recommended for future operations. nancial service handled by the APOs is annexed heretoe3 APO 435, located on PARRY IsAw 0 6 uas established on aiyU Island t o provide mil No major problems vere encountered and this The volume of mil and fl.- The Special Services Section worked steadily throughout the period from June 1955 60 A p r i l 1956 readying its facilities for the new volleyball courts were constructed. repaired and painted, beginning i n June 1955, little money v8s available for necessary supplies, extra labor, o r new equipment, Effective August 1955, it was directed bJr Headquarters, Joint Task Force SEVEZJ that an admission fee be charged fo%' The new swimming pooi m s opened i n July 1955 and Special Services facilities were Because ofthe shortage of nonappropriated funds

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appropriated funds but it uaa still necessary t o operate on a smll Central Post Fund and immediate steps were taken to procure much needed supplies and equipment. of nonappropriated funds, t h e order and shipping time for obtaining supplies and equipment from appropriated funds proved unsatisfactory. I n October 1955* &sed an instructions from the Task Force, requisit ions totaling $18,000 of appropriated funds were placed for Special Service supplies and equipment through t h e Adjutant General, Department of t h e Army. for use during fiscal year 1956, were not received during the operacareful rationing of the 1955 stocks supplemented by purchaaes from the Central Post Fund. Inthe future, release of funds tothe Task Group with authority t o purchase items direct from vendors would be appropriate i f order and shipping time cannot be reduced. This action increased the availability of nonDuring the operation, ample funds became available from the I n addition to the early shortage The bulk of these supplies and equipment ordered An adequate Special Service program was carried out only by I n b y 1956, USARF'AC informed this headquarters that only 16mm cinemscopo films would be available after1 August 1956. tion was taken t o modify the screens of the Terrace snd Star lite mheaters t o accomodate cinemscope and t o procure necessary equipment for the pro je ctor s. The Chaplains held services i n temporary facilities from construction of the new chapel, on the same ground vas not started The old chp el was razed on 7 Janusry and

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until late mob. From January until March responsible for all services a t both BIKINI 1956 the Chaplains were and PNIUETOK Atolls. This m de …